What is Equality Club?

Equality club is an inclusive club that is designed to challenge the stereotypes and unconscious bias that still exists in society and make Orchard Park High School a truly inclusive and happy place to be. In this club you will develop the skills needed to be empowered to campaign for social change. This club will equip you with the skills to take on social leadership as well as help you to build and develop empathy and respect for others.

In the last academic year, Equality Club have:

• Led a Black Women in History TED talk style event.

• Created resources to support the awareness of Stephen Lawrence Day.

• Met with individual subject departments in the school to discuss representation in the curriculum.

• Arranged a BSL awareness week.

• Created an anti-racism lesson for KS3 learners. See this here.

• Engaged in an LGBT+ History Month lecture and Q&A.

• Led on kindness events around the school.

• Led on a Windrush celebration day.

• Designed an International celebration day to recognise our varying cultural backgrounds.

• Led on International Women’s Day celebrations.

• Created and delivered an assembly on feminism.

• Held an Eid bake sale raising over £200 for Muslim Aid.

• Held a British Red Cross ‘Cup of Kindness’ tea morning, raising over £100.

• Created resources to help celebrate Pride Month.

Equality Club are also responsible for the creation of our whole school Equality Pledge that features in displays around our school. Our pledge is a key feature in our assembly programme and in all character education sessions at the start of each half term, as well as in our daily school lives.

Our Equality Pledge

At Orchard Park High School we believe in equality, we value the strength that comes with difference, and we celebrate the positive contribution that diversity brings to our community. 

Our community has a voice that strives to bring about positive change through our Equality Pledge:

• We agree everyone has the right to feel safe.

• We understand that all people should be treated with dignity and respect.

• We will eliminate prejudice and discrimination from our own words and actions.

• We will not tolerate offensive language and behaviour.

• We celebrate our differences.

• We will call out and challenge inequality in our community.

• We will not be bystanders.

• We stand for inclusion.

• We seek to understand, challenge and overcome our own bias.

• We support our community to reflect on and learn from our mistakes.

We understand that inequality thrives in the company of silence; we pledge that we will not stay quiet.

If you want to join Equality Club, come along to E1 every Tuesday lunchtime.